By LILLIAN GLAROS
Content warning: This story contains references to child sexual abuse.
Former University Park Mayor Joel Biermann was arrested at his home on Oct. 28 and charged with 28 counts relating to child sexual abuse materials.
He was denied bond the next day.
Investigators from the FBI said they found more than 45,000 files of suspected child sexual abuse materials, WTOP News reported Friday.
The arrest comes about 20 months after former College Park Mayor Patrick Wojahn was arrested on 56 counts of child pornography.
Debi Sandlin, University Park’s town administrator, said University Park police were not involved in the arrest, but were informed the morning of Oct. 28 that the FBI planned to execute a search warrant for the property owned by Biermann.
She added that Biermann is no longer employed by the town.
The Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD) confirmed in a statement to College Park Here & Now that Biermann was taken into custody Oct. 28 after a search of his home.
He was charged with 28 counts relating to the solicitation, possession and distribution of child pornography, according to court documents.
Most of the alleged offenses occurred in October 2024, but three date back to October 2021, according to court documents.
Biermann served as mayor from June 2022 to June 2024, according to Sandlin, and served on the town council from June 2020 to June 2022. He represented Ward 1, according to his campaign website.
Wojahn, who served as College Park’s mayor from 2015 until the day before he was arrested in March 2023, pleaded guilty to 140 child pornography offenses. He is serving 30 years of a 150-year sentence on 60 counts of distribution of child pornography, 40 counts of possession and 40 counts for possession with the intent to distribute, according to statements at the time by Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy.
Current College Park Mayor Fazlul Kabir declined to comment on Biermann’s charges.
Biermann is in the custody of the corrections department, according to PGPD.
